The Indian government has expressed serious concerns over the increasing incidents of human rights violations against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that New Delhi has raised the issue with Dhaka multiple times, urging stringent action against perpetrators of violence.
In a written reply to the Upper House, Singh referenced data provided by Bangladesh authorities as well as India’s independent assessments, highlighting the alarming rise in attacks on minorities.
According to the information shared, the Bangladesh government had initially reported that 70 individuals had been arrested across 88 cases linked to attacks on minority communities as of December 10, 2024. However, follow-up investigations in January 2025 revealed a much larger scale of violence, verifying at least 1,254 incidents.
“As per updated information, over 2,400 minority-related incidents have been reported from August 5, 2024, to March 23, 2025,” Singh told the Rajya Sabha, underlining the growing insecurity faced by religious minorities in Bangladesh.
The minister emphasised that India has firmly conveyed its expectations to Bangladesh, urging thorough investigations into these incidents. New Delhi has insisted that the perpetrators of killings, arson, and violence must be brought to justice, warning against any attempts to justify these crimes under political pretexts.
“It is expected that Bangladesh will thoroughly investigate these incidents and bring all perpetrators of killings, arson, and violence against minorities to justice without justifying any of these killings or arson as politically motivated,” Singh stated.
Singh also informed the House that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had reiterated these concerns during his meeting with Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain on February 16, stressing the need for concrete action to safeguard minority communities.
Reaffirming India’s stance, the minister asserted that the responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of all Bangladeshi citizens, including minorities, rests squarely with the Bangladesh government.
The rising number of attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh has triggered widespread alarm among human rights groups and policymakers.
